Folding table



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. T. BON.

.FOLDINGIABLE. No. 367,589. Patented Aug. 2, 1887.

WITNESSES. mv NTDH A W: /1 i BY 2% W M 7 f 1 ATTORNEYS (No Model.) 2Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. T. BON.

FOLDING TABLE.

No. 367,589. Patented Aug. 2, 1887.

WITNESSES M X ATTU H N EYS table in its erect position.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. BON, or SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

FOLDl NG TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 367,589. dated August2, 1887.

Application filed April 27, 1887.

To all whont it may concern-.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN T. BON, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga,in the State of New York, have invented newand useful Improvements inFolding Tables, of which the following, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to the class of folding tables which have one setof legs pivoted to the under side of the table, near one edge thereof,and the other set of legs detachable from the table-top and crossing theaforesaid legs and pivoted thereto at the points of crossing, and acatch for adjustably retaining the detachable legs in their erectposition.

The invention consists in an improved con struetion and combination ofthe constituent 'members of the table, whereby said table is,

more effectually braced and rendered more durable and capable of beingfolded more compactly for storing or transporting.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of afolding table enibodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is an inverted planView of the table in its folded condition. 3 is an inverted plan view ofthe Fig. 4 is a front view of the table, and Fig. 5 is, an enlargeddetached perspective view of one of the collars to which thelatch-actuating spring is connected. 7

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts.

A represents the top plate of the table, to the under side of which arerigidly secured transverse bars or so-called bedpieces a a, which areprovided on their inner sides with longitudinal guide-grooves b 1),extending completely through one and the same end of the respectivebed-pieces, for the purposes hereinafter explained, said grooves beingsunken only part way the thickness of the bed pieces, thereby obviatingunduly weakening of the same. 7

Z Z and Z Z represent the legs of the table, arranged in pairs or setsof twoeach. The set of legs Z Z are pivoted to the under side table nearone'edge thereof, and preferably to the bed-pieces a a at the endsopposite the grooved ends thereot The other set of legs, Z Z, crossSerial No. 36,286. (No model.)

the legs Z Z at or near the center of their lengths, and arev pivotedthereto by a crossbar, (Z, extending through the legs and rigidlysecured to the inner legs, Z Z By means of washers 22 1) applied to. theouter legs, Z Z, and screws t t,passin g through the washers and intothe ends olthe pivot-bar d,thelegs are retained on said bar. Thiscentral connection of the two sets of legs braces the same and impartsconsiderable stiffness to the table when set up for use.

The upper ends of the legs Z Z are connected with each other by atie-rail, d, which is rigidly secured to said legs and projects throughthe same a sufficient distance to allow the projecting ends of said railto be introduced into the grooves Z) b from the ends of the bed-pieces aa. To the rail d is hinged a latch or hook, 6, adapted to engage with aratchet-bar or catchplate, Zz, which is firmly attached to the underside of the top plate, A, and is provided at different points of itslength with a series of notches or'shoulders for the engagement of theaforesaid latch. The latch is held insaid engagement by means of aspring-bail, f, which lies astride the latch and has its ends coiledaround the rail (1' and terminated with lateral projections or offsetsf, which engage shoul' ders or lugs a n on collars ii, rigidly securedto the rail d at opposite sides of the latch. Said rail being rigidaffords the necessary hold for the spring f to exert pressure on thelatch e. The aforesaid oifsets f" f of the spring-bail f simply bearagainst one side of the lugs n n and are adapted to slide away from saidlugs and around the collars, thus allowing the spring f and pivotedlatch e to be swung around on the rail d, so as to project inward ortoward the table when folded, as represented in Fig. 2 of the drawings,thus allowing the latch and its spring to be folded compactly with thetable.

In erecting the table for use the end portions, d d, of the rail (1 areintroduced into the ends of the guidegrooves a a. Then by lifting thetop plate, A, to the desired elevation the end portions, d d, of theaforesaid rail slide along in the grooves a a, and the legs conform totheir positions accordingly, as represented in Fig. 1 of the drawings,which shows the table raised to different elevations. During theaforesaid operation the latch e and spring f are to be turned over onthe rail d to bring the latch to bear against the under side of thetable-top A and receive the pressure of the springf, the latch slidingover the catchplate h until the operator releases the top plate, A, whenthe latch e automatically engages the catch-plate h and retains thetable in its erected position, and when in this position it is braced bythe pivot-bar (Z and by the engagement of the bar cZ with the grooves bb of the bed-pieces a a.

The folding of the table is accomplished "with equal facility, it merelyrequiring the latch c to be depressed, so as to cause it to release thecatch-plate 72. Then the end portions of the rail d are allowed to slideout be turned over on the bar d, so as to project inward, as illustratedin Fig. 2 of the drawings.

I do not claim, broadly, a folding table having two sets of legs pivotedto each other at or near the center of the lengths of the legs, and oneset pivoted to the under side of the table-top and the other set adaptedto slide on the tabletop, and a catch adapted to confine the sliding setof legs in their position for supporting the table top, as 1 am awarethesame is not new.

My improved folding table possesses several important advantages overprior tables of this class. It will be observed that by my improvementboth sets of legs are thoroughly braced, not only at their upper endsand their centers, by the cross-rails zZ (1, connecting the two sets oflegs, but also by the ends of the rail d, projecting into the grooves inthe inner side of the bed-pieces, the outer portions of which aremaintained intact, and thus said bed-pieces possess great rigidity. Thegrooves, extending completely through one end of the bedpieces, allowthe rail d to slip out of said grooves and the upper ends of the legs ZZ to fold directly toward the feet of the legs Z the bed-pieces a a,provided on their inner sides with the longitudinal grooves bb,extendingpart way the thicknesses of the bed-pieces and completely through oneand the same end of the same, the legs Z Z, pivoted to the opposite endsof said bed-pieces at the inner sides thereof, the legs Z Z, pivotedintermediate their lengths to the inner sides of the legs Z Z by thecross-rail (Z, the tic-rail (Z, rigidly attached to the upper ends ofthe legs Z Z and projecting at the outer sides of said legs, and adaptedto enter the grooves b I) through the open ends thereof, the ratchet-barh, secured stationary to the under side of the table-top, the hook e,pivoted on the rail (1 and adapted to engage the ratchet'bar, and thespring f, connected to said rail and pressing the pivoted hook towardthe ratchet-bar, all constructed and comhined substantially in themanner specified and shown.

2. In combination with the top plate, A, catch-plate h, legs Z Z, andrail d, rigidly attached to said legs, the catch 6, hinged to said rail,the collars i i, rigidly secured to the rail (Z, and each provided withthe shoulders an, and the spring-bail f, placed astridc the latch andcoiled at its ends around the rail (Z and terminating with offsets f,adapted to engage the shoulders at, substantially as described andshown.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name and affixed my seal,in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the countyof Onondaga, in the State ofNew York, this 25th day of April, 1887.

JOHN T. EON. [L. s.] Vituesses: O. BENDIXON,

H. P. DENIsoN.

